Acute probiotic ingestion reduces gastrointestinal oxalate absorption in healthy subjects

Ismail Al-Wahsh, Yan Wu, Michael Liebman

Both a high dietary oxalate intake and increased intestinal absorption appear to be major causes of elevated urine oxalate, a risk factor for kidney stone formation. A number of recent studies have assessed whether daily ingestion of a probiotic containing oxalate-degrading bacteria could lead to sufficient gut colonization to increase oxalate degradation, thereby reducing urinary oxalate. In contrast, the present study assessed whether simultaneous ingestion of oxalate-degrading probiotic bacteria with a 176 mg oxalate load could lead to decreased urinary oxalate in a population of 11 healthy non-stone formers (8 females, 3 males), aged 21-45 years. The results indicated that both the single and double doses of VSL#3(®) probiotic solutions were effective in reducing urinary oxalate and estimated oxalate absorption with no significant difference between the two probiotic doses. The timing of the reduction in urinary oxalate suggested a small intestinal and possibly gastric reduction in oxalate absorption. Similar to what had been reported for chronic or daily probiotic ingestion, individuals characterized by high oxalate absorption were most likely to experience clinically significant reductions in urinary oxalate in response to acute probiotic ingestion.